Combined switch and fuse box



May 5, 1925. 1,536,469

R. H. BENNETT COMBINED SWITCH AND FUSE BOX Filed July 26. 1921 l @E huhv CIRCUIT N91 @L- OlRcu: r N92,

@ ClRcu/r N93 guna/nto@ A I t I I ettoz na-q Patented May 5, 192.5.

UNITED STATES ROBERT H. BENNETT, 0F WASHINGTON, DISTRICT 0F COLUMBIA.

COMBINED SWITCH .AND FUSE BOX.

Application led July 26, 1921.

To all 'whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ROBERT H. BENNE'rr, a citizen of the United States,residino` at WVashington, in the District of Colunbia, have inventedcertain new and useful mprovements in Combined Switch and Fuse Boxes, ofwhich the following is a specilication.

This invention relates to switches and more particularly to a combinedmultiple circuit switch and fuse box, particularly adapted for use inaircraft, automobile or motor boat constructions.

In the aircraft, automobile or motor boat industries it is commonpractice to provide a single inulti-way switch or a group of simpleswitches for the purpose of controlling the various lighting andmiscellaneous electrical circuits inside of the machine. The switch orswitches are usually mounted upon the instrument board, and fuses forrotecting these circuits are usually located behind the board or at someother desired point away from the switches. This practice of locatingthe fuses away from the instrument board in a position not readilyaccessible to the operator may seriously inconvenience. him when therenewal of fuses becomes necessary. This practice meets with seriousobjections particularly when applied to aircraft, for obviously a pilotin flight cannot leave his position at the instrument board nor can theengineer or mechanic, not acting as pilot of large flying machines anddirigibles leave his position to renew a fuse located in any position,but one which is most readily accessible.

The combined switch and fuse box hereinafter described is particularlydesigned to overcome this primary objection among others by providing aswitch suitable in principle for controlling a plurality of circuits,each of which has associated therewith a fuse contained within and madepart of the switch, all of the fuses for the several circuits beingeasily exposed to view by the simple removal of the cover head of theswitch.

In addition to providing a multi-way switch combined with readilyaccessible fuses, the device hereinafter described overcomes otherdisadvantages of means for accomplishing similar results by taking aform which insures compactness and minimum area for mounting where spaceon the in- Serial No. 487,706.

strnment board is limited. A further object is the construction of a.device of the above general character which will be light in weight,weather-proof in construction, and provided so far as possible Withstand-- ard materials and fittings thereby reducing its cost ofmanufactureand assembly. The device further insures a positiveelectrical Contact at each and every point of the switch and theprinciple of construction may be readily adapted to any number ofgroupings on each electrical circuit as may be necessary, according tothe use to which the device is put.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part hereinafter pointedout in connection with the accompanying sheets of drawings, showing oneof various possible embodiments of the invention and in the severalviews of which corresponding reference characters denote similar parts.

In these drawings,-

Figure 1 is a plan view of the complete device;

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the device as mounted upon theinstrument board;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on llne 3 3 of Figure4;

Figure 4 is a transverse horizontal sectional view taken substantiallythrough the middle of Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic ing the general plan of wiring.

The present invention will hereinafter be described merely in generalterms. The circuits as shown in Figure 1 indicate off, one, two, three,but obviously these legends may be changed to indicate running or flightlights, standing lights, recognition lights, as used in aircraft. Forautomobiles, the terms bright, dim and parking may be used.

Referring now particularly to Figure 4, a dial plate l() is adapt-ed tobe. secured to the instrument board in any desired manner as by means offastening screws 11.. This dial plate is provided with an upstandingcylindrical sleeve portion 12 inclosing a cylindrical body member 13 ofany suitable insulating material. This body portion is provided with aplurality of openings 14, these being shown in Figure 3, and a centralopening 15, the openings 14 each being adapted to hold a fuse 16 asshown in Figure 4, which fuses are supported on springs 17 viewshowresting upon the heads 18 on binding posts or terminals 20. Thesesprings insure positive contact through the luses to the contact 21which is connected by bridge piece 22 to a central or common terminal orcontact 23. a pin 24 adapted to have a locking engagement with springarms 25 secured by means of a central contact or binding post 26. Thesprings 17 also serve to initially eject the fuses into a position wherethey may be readily grasped for removal when such removal is desired.The contacts 2l and 23 are embedded in a suitable cover 27 of vulcaniteor the like, which is provided with a plurality of spring arms 28constituting an outer sleeve. The arms are slightly crimped as at 30 toform a means of holding this sleeve to the body sleeve 11, which issimilarly given a crimped circle of slightly increased diameter as shownin Figure 4. Any other desired method of insuring a gripping connectionor of holding the sleeves together, yet at the same time permitting theouter sleeve to rotate relatively to the other, may be employed.

The cover 27 as shown in Figure 1, is preferably provided with a wavedperiphery whereby it may be easily grasped for turning or removing. Anindicator such as an arrow S1 is preferably positioned in line with thetwo contacts 21 and 23 thereby to indicate to the pilot the position ofthe switches and to show which of the circuits is in operation.

The operation and manner of using a device ol" this character issubstantially as follows: Assume the parts to be assembled upon theinstrument board, the pilot merely grasps the cover 2T and turns thesame relatively to the bodyportion ol' the fuse to complete any one ofthe plurality of the circuits as desired. the arrow.pointing centrallyto the legend, denoting the circuit. If the light fails to o1 crate, itmay be presumed that the fuse for that particular circuit is blown,thereupon the operator removes the cover and all the several fuses areforced slightly' outward by springs 1,7 so that they may be convenientlygrasped by the fingers and removed, and a substitute fuse placed in thevacant space without the necessity' of the operator leaving his seat.The cover is then pressed back, the crimped arms 30 together with thecentral locking pin 24, securely holding the members in reassembledposition.

In a switch construction of this character, the operator can not onlymost conveniently remove the defective fuse, but the switch itself willindicate with the light circuit, the particular fuse which is defectiveso that the operator will know at once Without testing all the fuses orexamining them separately which one should be replaced.

This common terminal is provided with It will thus be seen that thepresent in vcntion embodies a simple, practical and in expensivecombined switch and fuse box particularly adapted for use on aircraftand automobiles where a plurality of circuits are used and where it isfrequently necessary to replace a fuse most conveniently and with theleast loss of time. v

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gistot' this invention that others can, by applying current knowledge,readily adapt it for various applications without omitting certainfeatures that, from the standpoint of the prior art, fairly constituteessential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of thisinvention. and. therefore, such adaptations should and are intended tobe comprehended Within the meaning and range of equivalency of thefollowing claims.

I claim:

1,. In a device of the character described, in combination, a switchbody having a plurality of circuits, a removable fuse associated withcach circuit, and rotatable means for operating the desired circuit.

2. In a device of the character described` in combination, a switch bodyhaving a plurality of circuits, a removable fuse associated with eachcircuit, and means for operating the desired circuit, said meanscomprising a rotatable member carrying two terminals, one of which iscommon to all circuits, and the other selective to the desired circuit.

3. In a device of the character described, in combination, a switchbody, a plurality of terminals associated therewith, an individuallyremovable fuse for each terminal located within the switch body, and arotatable switch member associated therewith adapted to successivelyco-act with the fuses.

4. In a device of the character described, in combination, a fuse bodyadapted to be secured to an instrument board, a plurality ot' bindingposts associated therewith in connection with a plurality of circuits,one ot' said binding posts being common to all the circuits, a pluralityof fuses, one for cach circuit, located in the body portion ot' saiddevice. and a member connected with said common terminal for completingthe circuit through said terminal and the other circuits as desired.

5. In a device of the character described, in combination, a switch bodyhaving a lurality of terminals for connection wit a plurality ofcircuits; a plurality of fuses` one associated with each terminal, arotatable cover for said fuse body, and contacts carried by said coveradapted to co-act with said fuses.

6. In a device of the character described, in combination, a body memberhaving a plurality of terminals for individual circuits, a fuseassociated with each terminal in said body member, means permitting theremoval of any of said fuses as desired, and means comprising arotatable bridge for operating the desired circuit through its fuse tothe exclusion of the others as desired.

7. In a device of the character described, in combination, a fuse bodyadapted to be secured to an instrument board, and provided With aplurality of cavities, a terminal associated with each of said cavities,one of said cavities being provided with a. common terminal, each of theother of said cavities adapted to be fitted with a fuse, and a coverassociated with said fuse body having a bridge piece for connecting thecommon terminal with the other terminals of independent circuits.

8. In a device of the character described, in combination, a fuse bodyadapted to be secured to an instrument board, and provided with aplurality of cavities, a terminal associated with each of said cavities,one of said cavities being provided with a common terminal, each of theother of said cavities adapted to be fitted with a fuse, and a coverassociated with said fuse body having a bridge piece for connecting thecommon terminal with the other terminals associated with independentcircuits, and means for securing said cover in position yet ermittingrelative rotary movement thereo 9. In a device of the characterdescribed, in combination, a fuse body having a plurality of cavities, aterminal associated with each of said cavities, a bridge piece wherebyone of said terminals may be made common to the others as desired,springs located in the bottom of the other of said cavities and restinupon the terminals, and fuses supporte by said springs.

10. In a device of the character described, in combination, a fuse bodhaving a plurality of cavities, a termina associated with each of saidcavities, a bridge whereby one of said terminals may be made common t'oany one of the others as desired, springs located in the bottom of theother of said cavities and resting upon vthe terminals,

fuses supported by said springs, and a cover platel being a connectionwith the common terminal and one of said fuses as desired,

said springs being adapted to force out the fuses when said cover plateis removed.

11. In a device of the character described, in combination, a fuse bodyhaving a plurality of cavities, a terminal for a circuit associated witheach of said cavities, one of said terminals being common to all othercircuits, springs located in the bottom of the other said cavities andresting upon the terminals, fuses supported by said springs, a coverbeing a connection with the common terminal and one of said fuses asdesired, said springs being adapted to force out the fuses when saidcover is removed, and means for securing said cover in position, yetpermitting relative rotary movement thereof.

12. In a device of the character described, in combination,'a fuse bodyhaving a plurality of cavities, a terminal associated with each of saidcavities, a plurality of independent circuits connected with saidterminals, one of said terminals being common to all of said circuits,springs located in the bottom of the other of said cavities, removablefuses supported by said springs, and a cover plate having a bridgethereon acting as a connection with the common terminal and one of saidfuses as desired.

13. In a device of the character described, in combination, aninstrument board having an opening therein, a casing mounted in saidopening, a plurality of terminals associated therewith, in connectionwith a plurality of circuits, springs in said casing associated withsaid terminals, fuses supported by said springs, and a cover plate onsaid casing, said springs adapted to eject said fuses when said coverplate is removed.

14. In a device of the character described, in combination, aninstrument board havin an opening therein, a casing mounted in saidopening, a plurality of terminals associated therewith, in connectionwith a plurality of circuits, one of said terminals being common to allof said circuits, sprin s in said casing associated with said terminals,fuses supported by said springs, and a rotatable cover plate on saidcasing having a bridge actin as a connection with the common termina andone of said fuses as desired.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature.

ROBERT H. BENNETT.

